Issues in design data management (Panel Session)

Design data management is an emerging sub-discipline of database systems that is concerned with the management of data quite unlike that found in conventional banking, personnel, or order-entry data- bases. They contain information describing the design of complicated “engineered” objects, such as ships, buildings, mechanical devices, and integrated circuits. These objects are designed by teams of engineers who need concurrent, yet controlled access to the data. Very often the view of an object as seen by one group will be different from that of others (e.g., the plumber's view of a building is very different from the electrician's view). The members of the panel include Mr. Steven Hoffman, Calma Corporation, Mr. Douglas Gilbert, Sperry-Univac, and Dr. Roger Haskin, IBM. After a brief presentation by each panelist describing his experience with design data and his assessment of how it should be managed, the panel will discuss the following questions. Audience participation is invited, of course.